Posted 11:30 AM by George Siemens
I just finished teaching an online course...I've delivered it in both blended and online format several times over the last 1 1/2 years. At the conclusion of each course, I collect comments from students, seeking to better understand how they experienced the course and what can be done to improve it. Here are some of their comments:

Suggestions/criticism:

• Too much content
  
• I hate reading off the computer
  
• The computers are a little untrustworthy at times
  
• Eye strain
  
• Need classtime!
  
• More interactive exercises needed
  
• Not motivating enough to do all the time
  
• Computers suck
  
• Better explanation and detailing of the schedule at the beginning of the course
  
• Very confusing at first
  

Positives:

• Not just reading a boring textbook
  
• Interaction led you along
  
• I liked the flexibility and the freedom
  
• Liked working at my own pace
  
• Could do it on my own time
  
• It was organized
  
• The games helped a lot
  
• I liked the videos, quizzes and pictures
  
• Having information right there when I needed it
  
• It was less expensive than a regular course (no textbook)
  

Open Source Intelligence
I like the idea of the "open source" movement. It is a perfect example of using the Internet "for what it is good for", rather than trying to force it to into existing models of communication. This is a good article, focusing on how open source adds value (intelligence) to society. Excellent quote: "Even the greatest innovators stand on the shoulders of giants. All new creations are built on previous creations and provide inspiration for future ones. The ability to freely use and refine those previous creations increases the possibilities for future creativity. Lawrence Lessig calls this an "innovation commons," and cites its existence as one of the major reasons why the Internet as a whole developed so rapidly and innovatively."

Students Help
Quote: "That's according to a new study of 811 school districts, which showed that 54 percent of those surveyed rely on students to provide technical assistance. Teachers, meanwhile, are "unevenly prepared for using technology as a tool for teaching and learning," according to the National School Boards Foundation."

Comment: This is hilarious. It highlights what I've complained about for a while...a great classroom teacher does not automatically make a great online teacher. A teacher new to the online environment MUST learn the environment before he/she can begin to teach. A disservice is done to students, teachers, and the organization, when this critical stage of preparation is not considered. Learning to use technology in learning is a deliberate act (and needs focused training)...this skill is not developed through absorbtion.

Blended Basics
Quote: "The future of e-learning lies in a more practical concept called blended learning..."

Comment: Sometimes, when common sense is discovered in an environment where it has been lacking, everyone hails it as genius. This is the case here. Common sense says that the tool that best achieves a task should be the one selected. This has not been the case in elearning. Sometimes significant resources are wasted moving content online that is best kept in the classroom...or resources are wasted keeping content in a classroom that should be delivered online. Some proponents of elearning think it is THE thing that will bring us to the new Utopia. Get serious. Elearning is valuable only to the degree that it solves problems. This has always been the case with technology. It has no value in itself...it generates value when it creates solutions to problems.

Reduce Redundancy
Quote: "Simplicity may be the single most important usability guideline. The less stuff you show users, the less they'll have to scan and comprehend, and the better the odds that they'll pick the correct option at any given stage."

Comment: There is real value in watching how a user interacts with a course. The first online course we piloted didn't ask users what they thought of the design/navigation. Instead we watched them. Very interesting experience. Users behave differently than they say they will. When designing a course, watch how users navigate and move around the material. What catches their attention? Which links do they follow? Which activities do they complete? It is critical to realize that people read a computer screen differently than paper. Whitespace, bolding, highlighting, visuals, etc. all help to make the experience more memorable for the learner.